Technology has entered many fields including the field of jewelry. It is now possible to use techniques learned in computer aided drafting and design and apply them to the design of jewelry. One such system that does this is GEMVISION, sold by GemVision Corporation of Bettendorf, Iowa. GEMVISION is a computer-aided design system for the designing of jewelry. In operation, a video camera takes an image of a loose stone or a ring or other piece of jewelry and the image is converted into a digital image. An operator can then manipulate the digital image using a computer and the appropriate software. For example, an operator can have the computer overlay an image of a loose stone over various ring settings so that a customer can preview how the stone will look in a setting before actual production. Similarly, the system can acquire an image of a ring and an operator could design a new setting for the stone in the ring or an enhancement to that ring.
In order for the system to work properly, it must acquire a sharp, well-defined image of the ring, stone, or other item. In the present system, it is sometimes difficult to get a quality image of a shinny object, such as a ring, because the ring tends to reflect the background of the holder holding it in position. This makes it difficult for the computer program to distinguish background from the piece of jewelry.